Traditional Cornish Pasties

Name: Traditional Cornish Pasties
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 8 oz cold unsalted butter, cubed small; 6 tbsp ice water; 12 oz beef chuck roast, trimmed and diced into 1/4-inch pieces; 2 medium russet or Yukon potatoes, peeled and diced small; 1 medium yellow onion, diced fine; 1 small rutabaga (swede), peeled and diced small; 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and diced; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 large large egg, lightly beaten

Proper Cornish Pasties — Hand-Held Meals Worth the Effort

These hefty pastry parcels pack tender beef, potatoes, and rutabaga into flaky, golden cases that Cornish miners once carried underground. The secret is raw filling that steams perfectly inside its pastry shell, creating its own savory gravy as it bakes.

EnglishDinnerComfort FoodBakingBeef

Prep45 min

Cook50 min

Total1 hr 35 min

Servings6

Difficultymedium

Nutrition

fat28g

carbs42g

protein18g

calories485

Ingredients

Pastry

3 cupall-purpose flour
1 tspsalt
8 ozcold unsalted butter, cubed small
6 tbspice water

Filling

12 ozbeef chuck roast, trimmed and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 mediumrusset or Yukon potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 mediumyellow onion, diced fine
1 smallrutabaga (swede), peeled and diced small
2 tbspunsalted butter, cold and diced
1 tspkosher salt
½ tspfreshly ground black pepper

Assembly

1 largelarge egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Whisk flour and salt in a large bowl, then scatter the cold butter cubes over top. Work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until you have a mixture that looks like rough breadcrumbs with some larger butter pieces still visible — these create flakiness.
Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and use a fork to toss everything together until the dough just starts to clump. Press it into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This rest lets the gluten relax and the butter firm up for easier rolling.
⏱ 30 min
Toss the diced beef, potatoes, onion, rutabaga, cold butter pieces, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Keep everything raw — the filling will cook perfectly inside the pastry, and the butter will melt to create moisture.
Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 425°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into 6 circles, each about 8 inches across and 1/8-inch thick. Work with one at a time and keep the others covered.
Spoon the filling onto one half of each pastry circle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Don't overfill or they'll burst during baking. Brush the exposed edges with beaten egg — this helps create a tight seal.
Fold the empty half of dough over the filling and press the edges together firmly. Crimp with a fork or your fingers to create a sealed border, then cut a small steam vent in the top of each pasty. This prevents bursting and lets moisture escape.
Transfer the pasties to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them well apart. Brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg for a glossy, golden finish.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F to set the pastry, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 35 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. The high heat start creates steam for flaky pastry, while the lower finish cooks the filling through.
⏱ 50 min